Secret Warriors #18Review

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Dum Dum Dugan's trial continues.

By Dan Phillips

Secret Warriors is the most consistently great Marvel comic on the stands, one that somehow keeps getting better as Jonathan Hickman adds more and more layers to his rich, labyrinthine plot. Secret Warriors #18, like the equally brilliant issue #17, is another instance of Hickman changing course just as you thought you had his plans figured out. The issue continues to follow Dum Dum Dugan's questioning in front of the United Nations Security Council, juggling back and forth between his testimony, a flashback to a Howling Commandoes reunion and another to the disastrous conflict that landed him in the hot seat. Like so much of Hickman's work, this complex tale is constructed with the precision of a Swiss watch.

The book is entertaining on several levels. The reunion scenes, filled with razor sharp dialogue and old stories of Captain America and the Commandoes in World War II, are captivating enough to warrant their own miniseries. Same goes for the battle sequences. Even Dum Dum's testimony makes for riveting theatre, as Hickman does wonders playing Dugan as the self-righteous, grizzled old veteran. The way Hickman and artist Alessandro Vitti weave these three threads together makes them all considerably stronger and more powerful, resulting in another top-notch outing for Marvel's top title.